


Happy Retirement

by Lathbora_viran



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Post-Ending, Post-War, being troublemakers, cameo by the Council, just a couple mercs on the run and trying to retire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 23:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13534803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lathbora_viran/pseuds/Lathbora_viran
Summary: Gift for Katschy for MassEffectHolidayCheer! Hope you like it.Zaeed and Shepard are living the quiet life, taking jobs when they want to and trying to avoid the Council who seems to still want Shepard's help now and then. Zaeed is getting tired of them and decides to take Shepard out and give them a bit of a troll.





	Happy Retirement

Maybe she needed to get a new mirror. Logically, she knew that a new mirror of any size wouldn’t change the way this suit fit. She also knew the suit wasn’t the problem. Even after all she had been through and her attempted retirement, her body hadn’t changed much as she aged. Part of her mind wondered if it was the Cerberus implants and the other repairs that had needed to be done after they had recovered her from the Citadel, but she reassured herself it was because she still stayed active.

With a sigh she tossed the classy grey suit onto the bed behind her. Damn the Council. Everything she tried to do to fall off their radar and they kept trying to drag her back in. They were harder to shake than the Alliance had been.  Still, they had picked the wrong person to fight with. Shepard had been fighting her entire life, the Council didn’t stand a chance of getting what they wanted.

The door to her bedroom opened and the breeze brought a hint of gun oil that made her mouth quirk. She’d long ago stopped tensing whenever she knew it was Zaeed entering. “Should get home late more often if you’re gonna be waiting in those lacy panties.”

Shepard’s grin widened as she heard the leer in his tone. “Been drinking again, old man?” Finally, she turned around as he paced closer, although stalked might have been more accurate with the way his hips rolled and his eyes hungrily roved over her.

“So, what? Anyone ever tell you how fucking pretty you are when you’re pissed?” This close, she could smell the burn of alcohol as his hands slipped across her hips and pulled her against him. “Who got on your bad side this time?”

Lazily she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and swayed into his grip, “And here I thought I’d calmed down enough by now. The Council, who else? Putting feelers out trying to reel me back in. Like they do every once in a blue moon. I can’t tell if you’re trying to butter me up for something or not…”

His thumbs dug lightly into the crease of her hips through what little cloth covered her skin, a thoughtful hum vibrating in his throat. “Eh, they haven’t tracked us down in all this time, I’m not worried. Just taking a damn good look.”

A chuckle escaped as she shook her head at him, closing her eyes when he rubbed his chin against her temple and his fingers dipped the tiniest bit beneath the lace at her waist. “You do remember we’ve been married for two years, right? You get carte blanche to look whenever you want. You don’t have to memorise it.”

“You say that like I need a reason, woman. Mm, you look good grey.” A gruff laugh huffed across her hair as his hips ground closer against her own and made her sigh.

“New suit, for that job we’ve got next week.” She shrugged and let her nails trail up the back of his neck and into his short hair to get that shiver she loved feeling. Apparently, he was feeling as lazy as she was today. She would never complain about the slow touching and teasing, though. It felt so good.

Strong hands wrapped around her thighs, easily taking it as the cue it was to tighten her hold on his shoulders and let him lift her legs around his waist. As often as she’d carried the whole bloody galaxy, she appreciated the times Zaeed carried her. Physically and emotionally, even if most people would give her odd looks at the idea that either of them was very emotional. “I meant that new grey hair, but the suit too.”

As casually as he’d put it, she almost missed it until she suddenly released the grip of one hand, running it through her hair to try and bring it forward enough to look while he carried her toward the bed and away from the mirror. “Relax. I meant it, looks good.” Sitting down, he settled her into his lap and gripped her chin to bring her in for a brief, rare kiss.

Just like he had expected, an eyebrow arched tauntingly, “That’s sweet. Softening up on me?”

“I dare you to try and tell anyone. Not only would they never believe you if you got that far, I’d have to take steps. I’ve got a reputation to maintain, sweetheart.” That smug expression he wore so well was back as she folded her arms across her chest.

There was a comfortable silence as they sat like that for a moment, neither of them really interested in doing much but enjoying the company. Shepard let her head rest on his shoulder and closed her eyes as his arms caged her. She might have even dozed off like that had it not been for the tell-tale chime of her Omni still on the dresser.

His calloused hand rubbed at her suddenly tense back, “Ignore the fucker, Shepard. It’ll be there in the morning. I’ve got a better idea.” Lifting her with relative ease, he set her back on her feet and rose himself. “Get something pretty on.”

Even as she turned away there was an odd look in her eye as though she were trying to get a read on his mood, “Got something specific in mind, Massani?”

“Can’t I just take my girl out to eat? We leave the Citadel tomorrow and we won’t be back for a while, got us some reservations. Something different than our normal. We’ll be in this next job for a while, thought it’d be fun.” He grinned at her as he changed efficiently into a nicer suit.

Shepard shook her head, “Zaeed, you never wear suits willingly. You’ve got something else planned. Fine, you want to be sneaky, I can roll with it. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”

Transit took a bit longer than expected, but they arrived outside of the restaurant he’d picked within half an hour. It was a fancy as hell place, and a very familiar one. “Are they actually going to let me in, Zaeed?”

A low chuckle left him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and walked her past the line that was only slightly shorter than normal at this late hour. “Glass is bulletproof now. Anyway, I signed us in under different names.” Gesturing for her to keep her voice down, he nodded to the doorman, “Reservation for two. John Mason and Mallory Kane.”

It was with relief that that he glanced down at her after they had been ushered in and led toward a table and saw she’d smirked but managed not to give anything away. “You’ve got a thing for spy movies, Zaeed. It’s adorable.”

“You recognized them, so you watched them too.” He pressed a kiss to her temple as he used his hold on her waist to steer her toward a seat and then push it in for her.

When he sat down across from her and saw her focus elsewhere, her hand reaching out to grip his tightly, he knew she’d seen them and pieced it all together. “Massani. That’s the Council. All of the fucking Council.”

He reached over and patted her hand with a faint wince as her nails dug into his trapped wrist slightly. “I know. And if you don’t act normal and keep your voice down, they’ll suss us out. It’s been years, they won’t recognize us. Have a little faith.”

Taking her cue from him after a long stare down, she took a breath and relaxed back in her seat when the Council didn’t immediately pounce. “The Salarian Councillor is retiring so they met up for a small dinner to send him off and introduce the new one. They’re focused on what they’re doing.” He owed her that much of an explanation. Once she’d relaxed some and was enjoying the moment, he’d lay out the rest of his idea.

“Alright, you old dog. They catch sight of me and I’m making a break for it and you better be able to keep up.” Shepard couldn’t help another quick glance toward the varied group and their security personnel but then picked up the menu to glance at it. “Good thing I let my hair grow out a bit.”

Zaeed shot her another quick grin, “They’d not realize it was you unless you danced around wearing nothing but a flag with the Spectre emblem on it. Never did pay a lick of attention when it was needed.”

A few minutes later their orders were taken by the waiter and he had her laughing again as he brought up what their old Prothean crew mate would have said at all the Salarians in a sushi place. Dinner went well after that, aside from the fact that the longer he watched the smile in her eyes and the way the alcohol made her cheeks go pink, the more he wanted to get her back home. For someone who had died so many times, she was so full of life it was intoxicating.

“So, I have an idea. Got your Omni on you?” He leaned in closer and smirked as he saw her eyebrow rise in wary curiosity. “Get it out and scoot your chair over here.”

Shaking her head, she still went with it and moved her chair over next to his as she powered up her Omni-tool. “I swear, Zaeed, we need to talk about your impulse control later tonight. What are you doing now?”

“Taking a picture.” He winked at her and lifted her arm up, so they would both be in the shot, wrapping around her shoulders. Behind them in the shot, the Council sat at their dinner peacefully. “Smile, and don’t worry. I won’t send it till we’re off station tomorrow.”

The next evening: every member of the Council receives a picture message of the grinning pair, Shepard giving a thumbs up. Zaeed had carefully made sure it couldn’t be traced and had gotten Shepard a new Omni just in case. The header of the message: Happy Retirement!


End file.
